1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to the field of medical waste treatment and disposal. Specifically, this application is for a new and improved apparatus for rendering medical waste non-recognizable by reason of a reaction with a sterilant and non-recognizable by reason of grinding, shredding and cutting the waste. Hospitals and other institutions must dispose of medical waste which is largely composed of infectious materials, including syringes, hypodermic needles, bandages, metal items, and even hospital gowns, sheets and blankets. Because of the diverse nature of the items which are placed in the medical waste for disposal, the apparatus must have the capability of reducing all of the waste to a small enough size for disposal in a manner which makes the medical waste suitable for storage, or other disposition as a non-infectious medical waste residue. The prior art cited in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,861 generally discloses the background for this invention, which is an improvement over the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,861.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus for converting unconsolidated medical waste into medical waste residue, which is of a reduced unrecognizable size for disposal in a landfill or the like.
The waste is cut, shredded and ground by revolving teeth on a rotating shaft which co-acts with fixed teeth in a housing. One or more of the revolving teeth is of special construction and disposition for moving at an oblique angle and in the same plane with respect to the fixed teeth to obtain an increased cutting, shredding, and grinding action on waste between the revolving and fixed teeth. During the mechanical process thus described, the waste is simultaneously revolved and is rendered non-infectious by mixing and reacting with a proprietary stimulant.